On Wednesday morning, Alf Harald Dragseth drove up Sunndalsøra in the direction of Oppdal, on his way to work.
Along the road and up the valley, snow-covered fields extend beyond. And even though Dragseth has lived in the valley for over 60 years, today he should see something he has never seen before.
For on all the fields he passed, there were hundreds of what Dragseth describes as “snow-rolls.”
– I probably do not have a proper name for it, but it looks like snowballs or a kind of “snow roll”. Basically, they are a bit reminiscent of the snowballs we rolled when we were little, says Sunndølingen to Dagbladet.
The patient said he had swallowed it
Clear theory
When Dagbladet talks to Dragseth, he has also discussed the phenomenon with a community.
– He had also never seen anything like it, says Dragseth, who has a clear theory of what has caused the mysterious snow formations.
– There has been occasionally quite strong wind here today, so the wind has probably got some snow, as it has started to roll together, he says.
Dragseth says there has been mild weather in the valley in recent days. He thinks it has had a lot to say.
– There has been a thin layer of hug snow all the way to the top, and loose snow underneath. I noticed it myself when I went out on the field to take the picture.
Left the son (2) in ice cold car
New for the meteorologist
The Norwegian Meteorological Institute supports Dragseth’s theory.
– Such snowballs are formed when strong winds grab hugs and a little loose fresh snow, and tear loose a small lump from the surface. Then the wind rolls it further over the cuddly snow surface, and the snowball grows, Kjersti Strand at the department explains.
She tells Dagbladet that she has never seen such snowballs before.
– It is probably not very unusual, but you must have the right conditions: An open field, hugs fresh snow and strong enough wind. That said, I have never observed it myself, Strand writes in an e-mail to Dagbladet.
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